CPI-M will not compromise on N-deal: Basu

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) will not compromise its stance on the India-US nuclear deal, veteran party leader Jyoti Basu said on Saturday.

"There is no question of compromising on our stand on the nuclear deal. We have already made our stand very clear on the issue," Basu told reporters after emerging from the central committee meeting at the state party headquarters on the Alimuddin Street.

The four-day CPI-M politburo and central committee meeting began in Kolkata on Friday with the India-US nuclear deal figuring high on the agenda.

Asked whether his party would sharpen its attack on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the nuclear deal, he said: "We don't want to go into any confrontation with the Centre. We will discuss the issue with the UPA on Oct 8."

"There is also another meeting (of the UPA-Left committee on the nuclear deal) slated later next month. Let's see what happens. But we won't budge from our position on the nuclear deal," Basu added.

"External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee called me up day before yesterday. I told him we will discuss the issue with him on Oct 8," he said.

Besides Basu, CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and many other senior party leaders attended the central committee meeting, which was preceded by the politburo meeting Friday.